The following is a synopsis of calls for service by the Swift Current RCMP for the dates indicated:

2018-FEB-16 5:20 PM - report of theft of wallet from a business on the 1800 block of 22nd Ave. N.E. This matter is still under investigation. 7:05 PM - report of a panic alarm on the 200 block of 3rd Avenue N.E. Officers attended & determed the alarm to be false. 7:16 PM - report of smell of marijuana coming from an apartment on the 400 block of Central Avenue N. This matter is still under investigation. 8:50 PM - Officer conducted traffic stop & arrested male occupant on an outstanding warrant. Male was released with documents & provided a new Court date. 10:15 PM -vehicle observed stunting in Kinetic Park. Officers charged male driver under the Traffic Safety Act. 2018-FEB-17 4:38 AM - report of male passed out next to a vehicle in a parking lot in downtown Swift Current. Male was intoxicated & had fallen & was trying to get home when officers attended. Male taken home without charges. 8:41 AM - report of rifle found in vacated building that's currently being renovated. Building has been vacant for over a year. Officers seized the firearm. 11: 14 AM - report of emergency On Star button being pressed. Officers patroled the area & could not locate the vehicle in question. Officers unable to obtain any further details on the registered owner or a plate number for the vehicle. 2:02 PM - report of residence on the 400 block of Central Avenue N. being egged. 7:40 PM - report of disturbance on the 200 block of 3rd Avenue N.W. Officers attended & were able to resolve the matter without criminal charges. 2018-FEB-18 7:53 AM - report of a disturbance on the 400 block of Central Avenue N. Officers attended & matter was resolved without criminal charges. 12:33 PM - report of 2 vehicle collision at the intersection of 3rd Avenue N.W. & Herbert Street W. No one was injured in the incident & no one was charged. 1: 14 PM - report of an assault on the 400 block of 9th Avenue N. E. One male charged under the criminal code. 1 :47 PM - report of suicidal individual. Subject was located & transported to hospital for examination. 3:34 PM - report of a male running around waving his arms in the air, pacing, yelling at vehicles. Male was gone upon officer arrival. 5:38 PM - report of hit & run to vehicle on the 500 block of Keene Drive. This matter is still under investigation. 6:37 PM -officer conducted traffic stop resulting in one male being charged under the Traffic Safety Act. 7:23 PM -complaint of male standing close to traffic on the #1 Highway. Officers attended, male was hitch hiking. 8:23 PM -officers conducted traffic stop resulting in a seizure of crystal meth, marijuana, drug paraphanelia, firearms & other weapons. One male & one female were arrested & charged under the Criminal Code & attended Court February 20, 2018. 2018-FEB-19 7:52 AM -report of motion alarm on 500 block of 6th Avenue S.E. Officers attended & determined the alarm to be false. 7:52 AM -report of male who left the hospital & concerned for his well-being. Officers located the male & returned him to the hospital.

Swift Current RCMP are looking for assistance in three cases for Crimestoppers:

Theft Under $5,000On February 12, two laundry machines at an apartment building on 4 Ave. NE in Swift Current were broken into. Money was stolen from the machines’ cash boxes, and the cash boxes were also taken. Approx. $400 was stolen. The Swift Current City RCMP is asking if anyone has any information regarding this theft to please contact Cst. David White of the Swift Current Municipal RCMP Detachment. Theft Under $5,000The Swift Current City RCMP is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying a person of interest (picture below) regarding a theft that took place at a business situated in the 1800 block of 22nd avenue in Swift Current, Saskatchewan on November 24, 2017. Any information regarding the identification of these two individuals or this investigation please contact the Swift Current City RCMP.

Theft Under $5,000The Swift Current City RCMP is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying two persons of interest regarding a theft that took place at a business situated in the 1800 block of 22nd avenue in Swift Current, Saskatchewan on November 4, 2017. Any information regarding the identification of these two individuals or this investigation please contact the Swift Current City RCMP. Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers will pay up to $2,000 for information which leads to an arrest or charge of person(s) responsible for these offences or any other serious crimes. Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers is 100% anonymous and does not subscribe to call display nor are your calls traced or recorded. Web and Text Tips are encrypted. Call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), text TIP206 and your message to CRIMES (274637), or you can submit a tip online at www.saskcrimestoppers.com where you can also view other unsolved crimes.

Swift Current resident and small business owner Maria Lewans is the Saskatchewan Green Party candidate in the March 1 by-election in Swift Current.

“I pay attention a lot to what’s going on in the world, and it’s getting really hard to just sit back and say nothing and do nothing when you see a lot of injustice going on,” she said.The Saskatchewan Green Party will have candidates in all three by-elections on March 1. Voters will also be going to the polls in Kindersley and Melfort. The party’s leader Shawn Setyo is standing in Melfort, and Yvonne Potter Pihach is the candidate in Kindersley.The party wants to present an alternative, positive position to voters that is based on the creation of a more sustainable province. A key party principle is the link between social and environmental justice.“I see a lot of injustice in the world and how it’s linked to the environment and our disconnect from it,” Lewans said.She believes it is possible to achieve social and environmental justice if one is open to that idea.“The important thing is we have to reduce our consumption and re-use what we can,” she said. ““It’s ridiculous how much we’re consuming and how much we’re wasting.”Lewans grew up on a mixed farm north of Shaunavon and she served as the SRC president at high school. She studied kinesiology at the University of Saskatchewan and thereafter completed a plumbing course at SIAST.She has been a Swift Current resident since 2006. She was employed at two local construction companies before she started her own plumbing business. In October 2016 she was a mayoral candidate in the municipal election in Swift Current. This by-election is her first foray into provincial politics.“It is very scary to just put yourself out and say this is what I think and I believe, because these bigger issues affect everybody,” she said “I think it’s time to step back and look at the big picture and think about why we do the things we do and what’s driving it.”Although this is just a provincial by-election, she feels it is still important to consider how Swift Current fits into the broader world and to look at the wider issues that effect the city and the province.“These big issues happen at grassroots level,” she said. “We have to be discussing these things and it’s kind of appalling that we aren’t discussing them. … What happens around the world does impact us, whether we like it or not. We can’t live in a little bubble and think our actions don’t affect the world and think what goes on in the world doesn’t affect us.”She decided to stand for the Saskatchewan Green Party because the party’s principles are closest to her own view of the world.“I’m a pretty big environmentalist, and so I’ve been drawn to the Green Party,” she said. “I realized I really fit in with this group. They’re firm believers that environmental justice and social justice are linked and that’s something I strongly believe in.”She believes it is possible to make changes on a personal level towards a more sustainable lifestyle.“I never really thought about the environment and I took it for granted,” she said. “Through my own growth and just learning things I got concerned and I started making changes in my life and reducing my consumption as much as I can. … I still have progress to make, but I’m working towards it and it’s not really that hard to do. Once you get rolling and realizing small changes you could make, that really adds up, even refusing a disposable cup.”The key is to have a will and desire to change your lifestyle, and to admit that there is a problem. On a political level it is important to have people who have a questioning mind.“I don’t think it’s about having all the answers,” she said. “It’s about having an open mind and being able to pull pieces together.”Four parties are contesting the by-election in Swift Current. The Swift Current & District Chamber of Commerce is hosting an all-candidates forum to give residents an opportunity to hear from the candidates. The forum will take place at the Living Sky Casino event centre on Feb. 26. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the forum starts at 7 p.m.

Stefan Rumpel, the Saskatchewan NDP candidate in the Swift Current by-election, wants to be a strong local voice for the community and he is eager to meet voters during his campaign.

Voters will go to the polls in Swift Current on March 1. He spoke to supporters during the official opening party for his campaign office, Feb. 7.He noted that he will be knocking on many doors during his campaign to talk to people.“I hope that when they get a chance to talk to me, they’ll see that I’m the type of person who just wants to listen,” he said. “I’m the type of person who wants to be a voice for people who are feeling vulnerable, for people who are feeling frustrated.” He urged his supporters to start conversations with others about why they have voted for the Saskatchewan Party in the previous election. He referred to the cuts in last year's provincial budget and how some of those decisions were reversed by the government when people expressed unhappiness about the cuts, for example the restoring of library funding.“Now education, the same thing is happening,” he said. “Why did you take it in the first place, why wouldn’t you think that was important to people? I’m just worried and frustrated about losing the things that make this community great, that make me want to raise a family here.”Rumpel's priority after the calling of the by-election was to get out into the community and to gather support.“We rely on volunteers, we rely on that real grassroots people walking in and wanting to help,” he told the Prairie Post after his speech to supporters. “So our first step has been just getting out there and getting to the doors and meeting people. ... I’ve been out there, knocking on doors since it’s been called, trying to get face to face with people and hearing the real concerns in the community and let them know that I’m willing to listen and I’m willing to be their voice.”People have been raising a variety of issues with him, including one that is very specific to Swift Current and that concerns the current construction of the new Chinook Power Station, a combined cycle natural gas facility, northwest of the city.“There are quite a few people who have been raising concerns that in a time where people are struggling economically, we’re watching a lot of out of country, out of province workers coming in to do the work in these buildings, where we have people in our community with the skills to do the work that aren’t being employed on these projects,” he said. “So that’s one concern we’re looking into. ... Obviously if we’re going to be in a difficult economic time, the best way you can support people get out of it is give them jobs, give them things to do so that they can thrive and generate that income.”He is also hearing concerns on the doorsteps about staffing shortages in health care and people have concerns about funding for education.Last week the provincial government announced $7.5 million in mid-year school funding to school divisions, but Rumpel felt that only starts the conversation about the funding needs for education. Premier Scott Moe has also made a commitment of $30 million in the 2018-19 provincial budget for additional supports in the classroom.“If he says we’ll get to $30 million on the next budget, that doesn’t help the fact that jobs have already been lost in support services for students, that doesn’t help the fact that we have a $55 million initial cut,” Rumpel said. “Our school divisions have been working hard to have students protected from that. We have great hardworking individuals involved in this school division in this community, and they were smart planners. They put in contingency funds, and the problem is, the next budget doesn’t help the fact that they had to go through those funds now.”He is concerned that Premier Moe's funding commitment will not address a broader issue with the funding formula used to allocate funds to school divisions.“We’re supposedly overfunded for things that before were just normal,” Rumpel said.He was born and raised in Swift Current and after university he returned to the city, where he has been a teacher for the past eight years. Cuts to education is therefore at the forefront of his mind, but not only because he is a teacher.“I have family in this community that goes through our education system and I really truly believe that every dollar you invest in early childhood education is only going to pay dividends down the line when these people are taking on employment in your communities and they’re skilled and intelligent and informed,” he said. “All of these pieces just fall into place to help you build and to help you grow, and the big thing though is just student voice. They’re the ones that are affected. Teachers and jobs, that’s important, but what’s more important to me – students. How are they being affected? Their supports are what we’re seeing drop away, they’re the ones who are losing out.”Another issue of concern to him is the impact that a reduction in provincial revenue sharing with municipalities will have on local residents.“We have amazing hard-working people that have contributed to our economy, have done these amazing things, yet our cost of living right now keeps going up because of cuts to municipalities, possible funding changes for municipalities,” he said.He is also worried about the impact that budget cuts will have in other areas, such as the provision of health care to Saskatchewan residents.“We’ve lost out on funding pieces because of amalgamations of the health region,” he said. “We are now looking at staffing shortages within our health care system.”The Saskatchewan Party government revised some decisions that were made in last year's provincial budget, but he felt those initial budget decisions could have been avoided.“If you’re really listening to people, you don’t do it in the first place, and that’s what we need,” he said. “We need somebody who will listen. I want to be that local voice who makes the right decision the first time, and really fights for the current government to make those right decisions that don’t hurt our most vulnerable.”The issue of a federal carbon tax has been a prominent feature of recent political discussion in Saskatchewan. Rumpel noted that the Saskatchewan NDP is against a federal carbon tax.“What we are for is consulting with industry leaders in agriculture and oil to make sure we have a plan in place where those industries are feeling less impact, because those are the industries our province right now relies on,” he said. “So what we need is a comprehensive, made in Saskatchewan plan that shelters our current industries, but allows us to invest in new, diversified opportunities while meeting our targets, and if we can work with those industry leaders to make that plan that Ottawa will then check off, then we won’t be forced to have a carbon tax.”He believes the Saskatchewan Party government has been dragging its heels in coming up with a plan that will enable the province to meet carbon emission targets.“Now they’re talking about suing the federal government and I ask with what money,” he said. “Supposedly we don’t have money for all of these different things, but we have it to sue the federal government to stop the carbon tax? I don’t want the carbon tax either, but suing them isn’t going to stop it. Making a plan that will be accepted is going to stop it. ... There are other options and it’s a matter of consulting those experts about putting in that plan that protects Saskatchewan industries but also doesn’t waste our money fighting a legal battle that by precedent we pretty much could lose.”Four parties have nominated candidates for the by-election in Swift Current. The Swift Current & District Chamber of Commerce is hosting an all-candidates forum to give residents an opportunity to hear from the candidates. The forum will take place at the Living Sky Casino event centre on Feb. 26. for the upcoming by-elections. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the forum starts at 7 p.m.

Aidan Roy, the candidate for the Saskatchewan Liberal Party in the upcoming March 1 by-election in Swift Current, believes it is time to bring back the voice of moderate voters in provincial politics.

“I’m running in this election because for far too long our province has been polarized by the SaskParty and the NDP,” he said. “In the last general election people were given the choice to vote for a far right party or far left party with no attention given to the moderate party in the middle, but now, with the Saskatchewan Liberals being revived, the people of Swift Current have a viable option to vote for a fiscally responsible party that isn’t the SaskParty.”He acknowledged that the name of the Saskatchewan Liberal Party can be a challenge when he speaks to people, who associate the provincial party with the federal Liberal Party. He emphasized that there is no connection between the two parties and an important difference is that the Saskatchewan Liberal Party is fiscally conservative and socially liberal.“When we go to the doors knocking, everybody always uses the classic tone ‘Oh, you’re a Trudeau supporter’ but what people don’t seem to understand is that back in I think 2007 the Saskatchewan Liberal Party completely cut off all ties to the federal Liberal Party of Canada and because of that any member of the party is allowed to join whatever federal party they wish,” he said. “I myself am a federal conservative and this just goes to show that our party is changing and our party is matching the beliefs of Saskatchewan, but our issue right now is not getting our voice out there to show that we are different.”The Saskatchewan Party was formed by a group of Progressive Conservative and Liberal MLAs, but Roy believes that the Saskatchewan Party is changing and the Saskatchewan Liberal Party is becoming a more attractive alternative.“With Scott Moe just recently being elected as the premier of Saskatchewan, for me it looks like he took a further step to the right with his policies and because of that I think a lot of people are going to feel neglected almost in our province and they’re going to be looking for a new party to vote for,” he said. “I don’t think everybody here in Saskatchewan is a socialist or believes in everything that the NDP says either, and because there’s now a move towards the centre from both ends, both the NDP supporters and the SaskParty supporters are coming into the middle now because they feel like their voice isn’t being heard, and because of that our party is now being renewed.”Roy was born and raised in Weyburn. He is currently a pre-service teacher at the University of Regina, where he is in the third year of a Bachelor in Secondary Education program with a major in social studies. He serves as the youth chair on the Saskatchewan Liberal Party's executive and he is also the party president on the University of Regina campus.Since the announcement of the by-election date in Swift Current he has created a social media strategy for his campaign and he started door knocking in the city on Feb. 10. He has also released a detailed campaign platform with policy proposals on a variety of issues, including economic development, the environment and education.“We need to restore a lot of funding for our education system and we need to improve areas of the education system that have been lacking for quite some time, including a renewal of our social studies curriculums,” he said. “If your children are attending high school, they’re receiving information that is over 20 years old. This information should not be taught because it’s just so outdated. Some documents are even 50 years old. ... That is not right. That is not how we educate society. So we need to understand the problems in our education system and work towards improving them and fixing them.”One of the key focus areas of his campaign will be to talk about his position on the federal carbon tax. He does not support a carbon tax, but he believes that legally it will not be possible for Saskatchewan to avoid the federal implementation of a carbon tax on provinces.“So it’s one issue that we have to address now with the understanding that we are not going to be winning this carbon tax battle, but what we can do is offset the carbon tax by making life more affordable,” he said. “”The thing that I would like to see happen is cutting provincial income tax in half by using half the revenue that we receive from the carbon tax.”Saskatchewan is projected to receive $2.5 billion in revenue from the carbon tax, and he is suggesting that $1.25 billion should be used to reduce income tax, which would save the average worker $2,335 per year. The remaining money from the carbon tax can be used to pay off provincial debt, to lower small business taxes and to invest in education.His platform on the environment includes a proposal that the government should develop more detailed procedures to deal with pipeline breaks and there should be updated guidelines for pipeline inspections. He is proposing an income tax rebate for homeowners to cover up to 25 per cent of the cost of solar or wind energy installations.“So by giving tax break in the areas of green energy, I believe we can begin our process of moving to clean energy in a sustainable manner,” he said.He is in favour of putting limits on contributions that can be made by corporations and unions to political parties. He is suggesting a limit of $3,000 per year.“I currently do not accept any union or corporate donations, and nor does the whole Saskatchewan Liberal Party,” he said. “We stand firmly with the belief that any revenue that we generate should come from the grassroots people and not from a larger organization. The people of Saskatchewan come first, not the interests of corporations or unions.”He will host monthly town hall meetings if he becomes the next MLA of Swift Current. He believes it is important to keep residents up to date about events in the provincial legislature.“What I liked to do is host monthly town hall meetings to not only make sure that everybody is up to date with what’s happening in the legislative assembly, but to also get feedback from our community members and understand what they would like me to fight for and to make sure that I’m being accountable to the citizens of Swift Current,” he said.The by-election in Swift Current is contested by four parties. The Swift Current & District Chamber of Commerce is hosting an all-candidates forum to give residents an opportunity to hear from the candidates. The forum will take place at the Living Sky Casino event centre on Feb. 26. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the forum starts at 7 p.m.

Scientists at the agricultural research station at Swift Current have been conducting research about farming practices in the semi-arid prairie region for almost 100 years.

The new exhibition at the Swift Current Museum showcases the history and current research activities at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Swift Current Research and Development Centre (SCRDC).An open house and reception for the exhibition took place during the evening on Feb. 7 and there were organized school tours during the day on Feb. 8. SCRDC staff were present on both occasions to speak to visitors about the exhibition and their research.Stephanie Kaduck, the education and public programs officer at the museum, felt it was a real benefit to have the research staff at the exhibition.“They’re all so passionate and to be able to see someone’s passion in their work aids immensely in appreciating how important the research station is,” she said. “It’s not just another business. It has people who are actively trying to make this agricultural region successful and in fact agricultural regions across the world.”The research station has been an integral part of the community's past. The Department of Agriculture purchased the land for an experimental research station at Swift Current in 1920. Research at the facility during the severe drought of the 1930s helped to improve farming practices and to make it more suitable for a semi-arid region.“The research station was a critical factor in recovering from the Dirty Thirties,” she said. “It was a whole group of people that become part of the community. ... There was always a strong connect between the scientists and the farmers. They did research on people’s land and they were creating strains specifically to address issues that the farmers were having and so coloured the development of the whole southwest really.”A section of the exhibition highlights the history and research achievements of the SCRDC. Research staff at the facility developed the world's first creeping rooted alfalfa in 1955 and in 1961 a new tomato variety, the Swift tomato, was developed at the research centre.Research at the centre helped to expand turkey production in western Canada. Scientists at the centre have developed a variety of cultivars over the years, they have been at the forefront of agricultural biotechnology research, and an organic research program was started in 2007.Dr. Bruce McArthur, the associate director of research, development and technology transfer at the SCRDC, noted that some 70 varieties of cereals have been developed at the facility and almost all the durum being planted in the prairies was developed by scientists at the Swift Current centre.“The station has changed since 1920 from being a station that was really developing agricultural practices and plant varieties and back in the day looking at animal husbandry and poultry and all that sort of stuff, because that’s what farmers needed, to becoming a station where we are a national lead on several things or the centre of excellence for range and forage, and grasslands research,” he said. “We do an awful lot of work in terms of the development of hard red spring wheat varieties and durum varieties. We do environmental work as well.”He felt it is important to inform the public about the work being done at the centre and this exhibition can help to do that.“Up to the 1950s and the 1960s, maybe even the 1970s, the research station was a real integral part of Swift Current,” he said. “Over time, because I think we became much more national in terms of some of the scope of the work that we were doing or at least regional in terms of the prairies and because farms got bigger and you have fewer farmers now than you did in the day, we’ve grown distant from the community. When everyone’s aunt or uncle or cousin or whatever had a farm, there was that kind of close connection. Now it’s not so much the case. So having displays like this and getting people out and just showing what we do and why we do it, we’re trying to reconnect with the community.”Dr. Alan Iwaasa, a research scientist in grazing management and ruminant nutrition, was present at the exhibition to speak to members of the public about his work. “It’s an opportunity for me to share what we’re trying to do at the Agriculture and Agri-Food research centre in Swift Current,” he said. “Unfortunately scientists are not necessarily always good at communicating what they’re trying to do and there tends to be sometimes people who are afraid to ask or are unsure what we actually do. ... So by sharing this and by showcasing some of the things, hopefully people begin to understand.”He spoke to people about a section of the exhibition that highlights the greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration potential of livestock grazing on grasslands. His research includes an evaluation of the benefits of different grazing systems, how to best use forage species at different times of the year to extend the grazing season, the impact of grazing animals on different forages, as well as the potential of grasslands to store carbon.“So we intend to look at the entire carbon footprint of that type of grazing system and the use of grazing animals on grasslands, and try to look at the pros and cons as well as the benefits,” he said. “There are many benefits associated with having a more sustainable grazing system and managing our pastures properly to get the benefits of not only the carbon sequestration but also the benefits of the animal utilizing that forage resource.”The SCRDC has been a steady presence at Swift Current for a long time and that will continue. It currently employs about 130 people and the facility has recently been experiencing some growth.“Over the last year we’ve hired I think five new scientists and we’re in the process of still completing that hiring process, which means we’ll end up hiring some technical support staff for them,” Dr. McArthur said.A recent investment of $35 million at the SCRDC resulted in the construction of new state-of-the-art laboratory facilities. At the moment the old laboratories are under renovation to become the new office block. He therefore feels positive about the research centre's future.“The producer groups around here are incredibly supportive, both in terms of providing us with research dollars and providing us input in terms of what they see as the major problems, whether it be in pulses or in wheat or in whatever,” he said. “So I think it’s a pretty rosy future right now.”

]]>mliebenberg@prairiepost.com (Matthew Liebenberg)Swift Current NewsFri, 16 Feb 2018 06:08:17 -0700Central School comes through for Telemiracle at Swift Current Mallhttp://prairiepost.com/index.php/news/swift-current/item/13821-central-school-comes-through-for-telemiracle-at-swift-current-mall.html
http://prairiepost.com/index.php/news/swift-current/item/13821-central-school-comes-through-for-telemiracle-at-swift-current-mall.html

Central School choir held a Valentine's Day bake sale at the Swift Current Mall on Feb. 10 to raise funds for Telemiracle.

The bake sale raised $1,037 and the group's next fundraiser for Telemiracle is a talent show on Feb. 28, for which they are still collecting items for the raffle table and selling 50/50 tickets. The Central School choir and bucket drummers will be performing at Telemiracle on March 4 and the school wants to raise as much funds as possible to take to Regina, because the money raised by Saskatchewan performers for Telemiracle 42 will be matched by Nutrien.

Community members who want to support Telemiracle can give their donations to the choir to take to the event for the stage presentation. Their donations will count towards the choir’s total, but individuals will still receive a tax receipt.

The following is a synopsis of calls for service for the dates indicated:

2018-FEB-9 4:51 PM - report of semi parked & blocking traffic on North Railway Street East. Officer attended & determined the semi was not blocking traffic. 4:54 PM -traffic stop conducted where male driver had a warrant. Warrant executed & driver released. 5: 19 PM -report of youth breaching the conditions of their undertaking. This matter is still under investigation. 5:58 PM -traffic stop on George Street West resulting in a male driver being arrested & charged under the Criminal Code. Male will be appearing in Swift Current Provincial Court Feb.12. 8:10 PM -traffic stop on 6th Ave. NW resulting in a male driver being charged under the Traffic Safety Act. 2018-FEB-10 4: 18 AM -911 hang up call to a hotel on George Street West. Officers attended & spoke with involved persons. One intoxicated male was arrested & held until sober. Officers were able to resolve the matter without criminal charges. 2:55 PM -911 call on 100 block of Haw Place. One youth had dialed 911 by mistake. Officers determined there was no emergency. 4:07 PM -report of male stopping traffic on Central Ave. N asking for rides. Officers attended 5:07 PM - report of male running around yelling in a parking lot on Central Avenue North. Officers attended & located male who was lost & upset. Officers were able to get to the male to his destination. 7:22 PM -911 call of hit & run on the off ramp from Highway 1 to Highway 4. Vehicle was hit by a white SUV that then drove away from the scene of the accident.Officers made patrols & were able to locate the vehicle. Driver of the SUV has been charged under the Criminal Code. No one injured. 8:51 PM -report of alarm at a business on the 1800 block of South Service Road West.Alarm was determined to be false. 2018-FEB-11 12:38 AM - report of intoxicated male walking on Chaplin Street West. Male was located & taken home. 1: 18 AM -report of van stuck in the ditch near the fairgrounds. Officers attended, vehicle was stuck, female occupant had been drinking prior to incident. Female was arrested & held until sober. 6: 38 AM -report of people sitting on a roof throwing snowballs at the caller's house on the O block of 13th Ave. SE. Officers patrolled the area & found the roof in question, no one was located in the area or on the roof. 10:55 AM - report of two-vehicle collision at the intersection of North Service Road East & Springs Drive. No one was injured in the incident. 10:50 AM - report of hit & run on the 100 block of 4th Ave. SE.11 :50 AM - report of suspicious male/vehicle on Alexander Drive in the early morning hours. Nothing taken & unable to identify male based on video footage provided. Officers will make extra patrols of the area watching for suspicious activity. 2:23 PM -report of male breaching the conditions of his undertaking. Male was located, arrested & was to be appearing in Swift Current Provincial Court Feb. 12. 5:20 PM -report of two-vehicle collision at the intersection of 6th Ave. SE & Dahl Street East. Both vehicles were required to be towed. No one was injured in the incident.

]]>Swift Current NewsThu, 15 Feb 2018 06:20:05 -0700National Cupcake Day – sweetest way to support Swift Current SPCAhttp://prairiepost.com/index.php/news/swift-current/item/13812-national-cupcake-day-sweetest-way-to-support-swift-current-spca.html
http://prairiepost.com/index.php/news/swift-current/item/13812-national-cupcake-day-sweetest-way-to-support-swift-current-spca.html

Monday February 26th is National Cupcake Day - a date set aside for businesses and community members to help support their local SPCA’s and Humane Societies by hosting a bake sale, with proceeds supporting their local animal shelter. The Swift Current SPCA will be participating in this year’s event.

“We are encouraging schools, individuals, businesses and community groups in Swift Current and the southwest to get on board with Cupcake Day this year,” says SPCA Development Officer Teresa Cole.Bake (or buy) cupcakes or any of your favourite sweet treats and sell them to your co-workers, classmates, clients or the public at whatever price you choose.

Proceeds can then be donated to the Swift Current SPCA by mail at Box 1163, Swift Current, S9H 3X3 or dropped off the SPCA Shelter at 2101 Knight Crescent (off #4 Highway South) or the SPCA Book Store at 37 1st Ave NE. Pre-registration of your Cupcake Day event is not required but Cole says they would love to know in advance who plans to participate. “We like to try to get the word out on our participating locations through social and traditional media so folks know where they can buy a cupcake that day and we are happy to help promote.”

Groups or individuals who would like to get involved or who would like more information can contact Cole at 306-773-1292 or teresa@swiftcurrentspca.comSome of the locations participating on the 26th in Swift Current will be: Pet Valu, New Family Chiropractic Clinic, Standard Motors, Altus Geomatics, Canadian Mental Health Association, WW Smith Insurance, RBC, and the SPCA Bookstore. In addition, there will be a sale at the Grand Coteau in Shaunavon on Feb. 27. For those who can’t host a sale or get out to buy treats on the 26th, the SPCA will also be holding a pre-sale of cupcakes at the Swift Current Mall Centre Court on Saturday Feb. 24th from 12-5 p.m. or while supplies last. The Swift Current SPCA is a local volunteer-directed registered charity which receives no provincial or federal funding, is not affiliated with nor funded by the Saskatchewan SPCA. It looks to raise about 80% of its $300,000 annual operating budget from the community each year. It serves approximately 300- 350 domestic pets (cats and dogs) annually, operating 24/7 – 365 day a year no-kill shelter services with a high standard of health safety. It also provides required medical services including a spay/neuter program, foster and adoption services, pound care and licensing services for the City of Swift Current, and a lost and found registry and microchipping program to help reunite strays with owners. The SPCA has operated animal shelter services in Swift Current since 1973.

The Swift Current SPCA’s Annual Appeal kicks off on February 15 and the organization is asking residents of Swift Current and area to consider a donation of $18 (or more) to support the local animal shelter in 2018. To launch the appeal, the group is planning a new “Celebrity Dog Pound” event that day.

“We will be having some fun impounding a few local celebrities at the SPCA shelter the afternoon of February 15th and asking them to raise at least $18 from 18 people in order to be released,” notes SPCA President Susan McLaughlin. “$18 isn’t a huge amount for most of us, but it can go a long way to helping keep our local animal shelter in operation if we have enough pet lovers respond to our appeal.”

The Swift Current SPCA is largely community-funded and all donations stay in the area to support its operation. “We are seeing cost increases, especially in areas such as medical expenses for pets and maintenance costs as our building gets older,” McLaughlin notes. The shelter costs more than $25,000 per month to operate and served more than 350 pets in 2017.

Unlike some non-profit organizations, the SPCA doesn’t receive any provincial or federal funding. The Swift Current SPCA is also not affiliated with nor funded by the Saskatchewan SPCA, as the two organizations have somewhat different mandates.

Donations toward the SPCA’s $18 for ‘18 Annual Appeal can be mailed to the Swift Current SPCA at Box 1163, Swift Current, S9H 3X3 or dropped off the SPCA Shelter at 2101 Knight Crescent or the SPCA Used Book Store at 37 1st Ave NE. Donations can also be made online at the SPCA website www.spcaswiftcurrent.com. Donations of $10 or more are tax-receipted.

The Swift Current SPCA is a local volunteer-directed registered charity serving the whole southwest region. The non-kill animal shelter is staffed 365 days a year and provides 24/7 shelter, food, and care to domestic pets (dogs and cats) with a high standard of health safety. It also provides required medical services including a mandatory spay/neuter program, foster and adoption services, pound care and licensing services for the City of Swift Current, and a lost and found registry and microchipping program to help reunite strays with owners. The SPCA has operated animal shelter services in Swift Current since 1973 and at the current facility since 1990.